Screw-actuated vise



April 8, 1930. w 1,753,924

- SCREW ACTUATED VISYE Filed April 22, 1927 INVENTOR' j ATRNEY IPatented Apr. 8 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT if OFFICE SCREW-ACTUATED VISEApplication filed April 22,

This invention relates to improvements in screw-actuated vises.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce a screw-actuated visewhich will have all the advantages of a screw-actuated vise foradjusting or tightening up upon the object which it is desired tosecure, and, in addition, will be capable of quick manipulation to anapproximate gripping position.

Another object of the invention is to produce a screw-actuated vise,comprising a stationary jaw and a movable jaw slidable relativelythereto which are capable of being tightened up on an article by thecooperative engagement of a screw and nut, and in which during initialor approximate adjustment of the jaws, the screw and nut may beautomatically released from such cooperative engagement to enable quickadjustment.

Another object of theinvention is to produce a screw-actuated vise inwhich a movable jaw is instantaneously and manually releasable fromscrew-operative engagement, and upon such manual release, will beautomatically moved to full open position.

Still another object of my invention is to produce a screw-actuated visein which one of the jaws is normally movable and adjustable in grippingrelation to the other by rela- 0 tive rotation of a cooperating screwand nut but in which the nut is preferably a sectional nut and theengagement between the cooperating threads of the screw and nut isyielding so that the movable jaw may without relative rotation of thescrew and nut, by direct pushing movement be moved from open position toan approximately-closed gripping position, the engagement of the screwand nut being automatically released during such initial closingmovement which causes the threads of the screw to click over the threadson the sectional nut into an approximate or initial position forengagingthe object to be operated upon and this feature-is preferablycombined with the further feature that the cooperative engagement of thescrew and nut is manually releasable and upon such manual release themovable jaw will be automatically moved by an opening spring intofullopen position.

1927. Serial No. 185,737.

With these and other objects in view, the mvention comprises thecombination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-actand cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions andtheaccomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises inone of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectionsubstantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the vise shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Referring now to thesedrawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, 1indicates a body portion of a vise having an attaching base portion 2which may be attached to a suitable bench or support 3 by screws, 4, 4,45*. The upper end of the vise is provided with a stationary jaw 5 and ahorizontal cavity 6 is provided for the reception of a sliding shankportion 7 of a movable jaw 7. Said movable jaw 7 is preferably providedwith a cavity 9 preferably opening downwardly and extending from a solidhead portion 10 to a solid tail portion 11. Mounted within the cavity 9with its opposite ends rotatably supported in the head portion 10 andtail portion 11, is a tightening screw 12. As illustrated, the screw 12is provided at its rear end with a journal 12 which is mounted in abearing aperture 11 in'the tail piece at the rear end of the said shank7, and adjacent to its opposite outer end 10 in a bearing aperture inthe head portion 10 and having at its opposite end a cylindrical head 13provided with a slidable handle bar 14- of conventional construction,said head 10 being also, as shown, provided with a collar-gravity 15within which is fitted a locking collar 16 fastened by set screws 16 tothe unthreaded portion 12 of the screw 12.

' Communicating with the horizontal aperture 9 within the body of thevise and intersecting the same at a right angle is a vertical aperture17, and mounted in said aperture 17 is a sectional nut 18 having itsthreads 19 yieldingly pressed into engagement with the threads 12 of thescrew 12 by a spring s rin 2O forced ieldin 'l into en a ement C b Z3 :3

with the threads 12 of the screw, and that the inclination of the screw"threads and nut threads is such that'- direct manual inward pressureonthe movable jaw will cause: an automatic releasing or disengagement ofthe threads of the nut fromthe threadsof the screw and-suchmanualinovement will cause a clickingof the-threads of the screw over: thenut'threads, -so as to enable the movable jaw 8 to be moved to itsapproximategripping position v I In the "preferred embodiment of myinvention means for manually releasing the threads of the sectionalmut--from thethreads of the screw is provided and upon such manual release ofthe threads of. the screw, the shank ,:of the' movable-jaw- 7 isautomatically forced outwar-dlvby a spring 2 1 to'cause a movement ofthe movable jaw to full-open position and, as illustrated, I providefinger-actuated means which,- as shown, comprises finger pieces 25,havingshanks screwed into the sides' of thesectional nut 18 andextending through elongated openings 26, 26 at oppositesides ofthebodyporticn 1 of the vise. Upondepressing one or both'of the fingerpieces 25, 25 the jaw 7 will immediately, by the pressure of the spring2 1, be automatically moved to full-open position.

In: the construction shown, the spring 24' has one end portionmounted'i'n a cavity 27 formed at the-rear end 11 of the shankof'the jaw-8,said spring being so mounted in this cavity with itsend abuttingagainst the inner vertical: wall thereof, while the opposite end of thespring abuts against the inner surface 28 of anenclosing tube 28suitably mounted'on the rear end of the body portlon 1 of-the visexand,as shown, having side flanges 28 fastened-by screws 29 'to the rear faceof said bodyportion. This tube not .only encloses the springbut preventsthe accessof dirt and filings to said spring and to the screw.

hen the sectional nut is manually released. asaforesaichand'the jawmoved to so itsfull open position by-means of the spring 2 1;:theshoulder ll will i contact with the side surface 18 of the sectionalnutwhich shoulder and surface form:limiting-.stops to prevent excessiveoutward movement :by the spring;;

It will be seen that-the threads which position the shoulder 11% willengage the side of the sectional nut 18. The article to be gripped isthen inserted between the jaws andthe jaw Sis slid or moved manuallyagainstthe action of the spring 24 into an initial-adjusted position,the engagement of the threads of the screwed nut being yielding is,during thissliding-movement, automatically released, the threads ofthescrew click-- 111g over the threads of tllQ-SGCtlOIlttl-Illlt-QS thesame ismanually slid .over vthe same;-

The aw 8 is now further tightened upon the article by rotation ofthescrew intheaconventional manner through the conventional barhandle-14. During this rotating'move ment of the screw the sectionalnut,-which "fits snugly within its mountin glaperture 17,iwil1 enable atightening. movement of the jaw 8,

andI have found thata strong tight, grip..

in all respects'as-tightas.in the ordinary; screw and nut may beobtained upon the. article and there is no danger of a slipping of theteeth during this rotating movement of the screw.

It will be seen that the operating parts of mounted-thereon for rotarymovement only, a sectional nut mounted for vertical. movement onlyand-having a connection withthe other jaw memberand provided withthreads arranged to'be operatively engaged with the threads of saidscrew,-the threads .of said screw and-nut having complementary inclinedsides arranged to permit a relative sliding movementin one direction,spring means for normally pressingithe threads of said section a1 nutinto engagement withi-thezthreads of said screw, whereby directmanualpressure against the movable jaw will-permit a elick-- ing of thethreads of the screwover thoseof the sectional nut to produce a quickmove-'- ment of the movable j aw, means for'manuah ly disengaging thethreads of said sectional nut and screw, and a spring normally coop.erating with the first mentioned spring meanstopress the inclinedthreads'of the screw into engagement. wit-l r the inclined threads ofthe sectional nut and also opera-.

tive upon manual disengagement of the nut to 7 move the jaws into fullopen position.

2. A. vise comprising a supporting body portion provided with a fixedjaw and having a horizontal cavity, a movable jaw having a shank portionslidable within said cavity in the supporting body portion, a screwhaving screw threads mounted for rotary movement only within said shankportion of the movable jaw, a sectional nut mounted to have verticalmovement only in said supporting body portion and provided with threadsarranged to have an operative engagement with the threads of said screw,means for yieldingly forcing the threads of said sectional nut intoengagement with the threads of said screw, and a spring arranged in aspring-enclosing casing connected to the rear end of the body portionand adapted upon manual release of said screw threads to move themovable jaw into full open position.

3. A vise comprising a supporting body portion provided with a fixed jawand having a horizontal cavity, a movable jaw having a shank portionslidable within the cavity in said supporting body portion, a screwhaving screw-threads mounted for rotary movement only within said shankportion of the movable jaw, a sectional nut mounted for verticalmovement only in said supporting body portion and having threadsarranged to have an operative engagement with the threads of said screw,said screw threads of the nut and screw having complementaryinclinations to permit sliding movement in one direction, a spring foryieldingly forcing the threads of the sectional nut in operativeengagement with the threads of the screw, means for rotating said screwto cause a tightening movement of the movable jaw in relation to thefixed jaw, means for manually disengaging the threads of said nut andscrew to permit movement of the movable jaw in relation to the fixedjaw, and a spring normally cooperating with the first mentioned springto press the inclined threads of the screw into engagement with theinclined threads of the sectional nut and also to force said jaws intofull open position upon manual release of the engagement of said screwthreads against the action of said first mentioned spring.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name to the foregoingspecification.

WILLIAM eonnon.

